The Hogwarts Houses - Everyone said
by The Girl Who Loved '62442
Summary: A brief summary of what everyone says about the Hogwarts houses - and what they forget. Thanks to Zixith in a form you can hopefully read ;)


**Gryffindors** are brave, everyone said.  
They would never shrink back from any kind of challenge and always stood up for their friends.  
They praise courage, daring, nerve and chivalry and their mascot is a Lion, a very strong symbol for these values.  
Their common room is in one of the highest towers of Hogwarts to show that something as ridiculous as fear of height (or any other fear) would never occur to any Gryffindor.  
Their House Ghost, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, is a knight and famous for his heroism during life. That is probably why Gryffindors are always compared to knights.  
Their Head of House is living up to the expectations set upon a true Gryffindor: Minerva McGonagall fought Lord Voldemort in two wizarding wars, without even considering going into hiding to protect herself. She stayed at Hogwarts to protect the students and is as brave and valiant as any other Gryffindor, despite her age.  
She is fearless and valiant and as pure of heart as any Gryffindor could be.

 **Hufflepuffs** are hard-working, everyone said.  
They would help you whenever you asked them and hardly ever complained about anything.  
They cherish those who are patient, humble, just, faithful and diligent and the Badger, which digs blind beneath the ground, symbolizes the fruitless search for just a little glory for their house.  
Their common room is set near the kitchens. To enter you must not even remember a password, but simply tap the rhythm of `Helga Hufflepuff` on a barrel. They don't seem so keen on keeping other students away.  
Their House Ghost is the Fat Friar and who could present the value of hard-working more than a former monk?!  
In fact, Hufflepuff House is also famous for not having so much prejudice against other houses. It's just not in their nature to judge other people on where they live in Hogwarts, but rather by their values.  
Their Head of House is the Herbology teacher and a perfect representation of Hufflepuff. Hard-working and always wanting the best for everyone, Pomona Sprout treats no student from her house special. Her subject reflects the down-to-earth personality, so famous for Hufflepuff.  
She is assiduous and devoted and loyal and if you are in search for help, you can always count on her.

 **Ravenclaws** are clever, everyone said.  
They were good in classes, model-students and the ones who would rather discuss something than duel over it.  
They treasure intelligence, wit, inspiration and creativity. and their symbol is and Eagle, representing inspiration and great foresight.  
Their common room is located on the west side, the wind direction famous for maturity and collegiate success. To enter you have to answer a riddle to show that Ravenclaws do not simply remember a password but train their brain every minute of the day.  
Their House Ghost, The Grey Lady took advanced Transfiguration lessons even after her death, never wanting to stop learning.  
Their Head of House is Filius Flitwick, Professor for Charms and an exceptionally talented wizard, just as a Ravenclaw should be. He was famous for being a duelling champion when he was younger and is now considered to be the most knowledgeable Charms master alive.  
He is witty and clever and has brains and that's all a Ravenclaw needs.

And **Slytherins**...Well apart from being famous for the Dark Arts, everyone said they were ambitious.  
They do stick up for their friends and especially for their house, but only as long as it would not diminish any chances for themselves.  
They value cunning and leadership and resourcefulness and, of course, purity in blood and the Serpent, in a biblical way a symbol for a fallen angel, represents a cool, calculating mind.  
Their common room is in the dungeons under the lake. The cool air and greenish glow undoubtedly reflect the appearance of a snake's nest.  
Their House Ghost is disliked and frightening, much like many Slytherins. The Bloody Barons showed cruelty during live and does not seem to have become much more sociable after death.  
Their Heads of House do both characterize the values of Slytherin. Professor Snape is ambitious for his own house; he favours Slytherins and dislikes everyone else. He devours the Dark Arts and is sly and cold and ruthless. Professor Slughorn is not cold or ruthless nor does he like the Dark Arts. He doesn't favour Slytherins, but those students he likes. But in a way, he is still definitely a Slytherin. He is brave, but only if it is safe to be. He is ambitious and sets up a net of good contacts. And he believes too much that only purebloods can do great magic.  
Those two, the old and new potions master are both, in their own way, true Slytherins.

Well, that's what everyone says about these houses...but people forget a lot of things!

People forget that not every **Gryffindor** is fearless and bold and heroic and stands up for his friends.  
They forget that Peter Pettigrew was so terrified he betrayed his friends to someone he would be sure to kill them.  
They forget that Ron ran away from his friends on the hunt for Horcruxes. He came back, yes, but still he ran away in the first place.  
Even Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington, who ought to be an example Gryffindor, was so afraid of death he chose to come back as a ghost rather than face the unknown.  
And people also seem to fail to notice that though most Gryffindors ARE valiant and courageous, they are also - and there is no point in denying it - proud to the point of being arrogant and conceited.  
James Potter and Sirius Black thought themselves quite above school rules and even Harry, Ron and Hermione broke quite a few rules during their time at school.

People forget that not every **Hufflepuff** is hard-working and humble or as naive and useless and soft as they say.  
They forget that Nymphadora Tonks managed to be an Auror and that Cedric Diggory was so brave and strong that he was chosen as one of the Triwizard Champions and that he even managed to get in the first place until that fatal third task.  
They forget that Ernie MacMillan and Just Finch-Fletchley and many other Hufflepuffs were brave enough to enter the DA and that at least half of Hufflepuff House - even more than Ravenclaws - chose to stay in the Battle of Hogwarts to fight.

People forget that not every **Ravenclaw** is quick-minded or studious or bookish.  
They forget that Luna Lovegood never much believed in what others wrote in books or that she did not really care about her grades.  
Or that in her sixth year Cho Chang even feared to fail her classes or that neither McGonagall or Snape - who even invented his own potions and spells - nor Lily or Hermione were placed in Ravenclaw, though all were exceptionally gifted wizards/witches and undoubtedly possessed all the good qualities of Ravenclaw House.

People forget that not every **Slytherin** is cunning and ruthless and likes the Dark Arts. And by far not every Slytherin is a Pureblood or thinks them to be superior.  
They forget that Horace Slughorn was a most good-natured fellow, liked by most people and that he detested the Dark Arts.  
They forget that both, Draco Malfoy and Regulus Arcturus Black were shocked by what experience they made with Dark Magic and that Black even went as far as trying to destroy them.  
They don't seem to remember that the most famous Slytherin, Tom Riddle was no Pureblood and nor was Severus Snape and that both their mothers, Merope Gaunt and Eileen Prince married a Muggle.  
People miss out that the ability to feel love - not very legendary in this House - was given not only to the Heads of House, Horace Slughorn and Severus Snape who both loved the same woman though in very different ways, but that even the Bloody Baron had a most durable love story during life-time.

People forget that it it's not the house that defines who we are, but ourselves.  
Our house gives us a place and a family and perhaps classifies us by the kind of people we hang out with and the values we think we ought to have.  
But in the end, they are not more than kind push in one direction and we are very free to choose our own way in life.  
Everyone can be brave and kind and loyal. And everyone can be clever and ambitious and cunning.  
What really matters is that we chose to do the right thing.

As a very valiant, loyal, intelligent and ambitious headmaster once said:

 **"It's our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities."**


End file.
